McGregor returns from five-year UFC absence against Holloway
Conor McGregor faces Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas, his first bout since breaking his tibia in 2021.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Conor McGregor will fight in the UFC for the first time in five years when he meets Max Holloway in Saturday’s UFC 329 main event, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. The welterweight bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas caps International Fight Week and gives McGregor a chance to restart his career after a long absence.
McGregor, 37, has not fought since July 2021, when he broke his tibia in a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The former featherweight and lightweight champion also missed a planned 2024 return against Michael Chandler after a toe injury, and that fight was not rebooked.
The five-round fight is a rematch of a 2013 meeting in Boston, where McGregor beat Holloway by unanimous decision in his second UFC appearance, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. That fight was on the preliminary card before either became one of the sport’s best-known names.
McGregor enters with a 22-6 mixed martial arts record, while Holloway is 27-9, according to the report. Holloway, 34, is making his official welterweight debut after years competing at featherweight and lightweight.
Start time and broadcast details
Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that the preliminary card is scheduled to begin around 7 p.m. ET, or 23:00 GMT. The main card is expected at 9 p.m. ET, or 01:00 GMT on Sunday.
McGregor and Holloway are expected to walk to the Octagon at about 12:30 a.m. ET Sunday, or 03:30 GMT, according to the report. In the United States, Paramount+ will carry the event, while TNT Sports will show it in the United Kingdom.
What the fighters said
At Thursday’s pre-fight news conference, McGregor said he was thankful for the chance to revive his career and suggested he intends to stay at welterweight, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. “The OG champ-champ, coming for the triple crown,” McGregor told reporters. “Sounds like a hell of a story to me.”
Holloway is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 in March, where he lost the “BMF” title, the report said. Asked about McGregor’s claim that Holloway would not “lay a glove” on him, Holloway replied: “We’re gonna find out Saturday night.”
McGregor also objected to Holloway discussing a possible December rematch, calling the comments “disrespectful,” according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. Holloway answered with: “I’m drowning his ass.”
No title on the line
No championship belt will be awarded in the main event, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. Holloway is ranked fourth at lightweight and is moving up to 170 pounds, while McGregor is unranked because of his long layoff.
The first McGregor-Holloway fight ended with scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 30-26 for McGregor, according to the report. McGregor hurt Holloway with an uppercut in the second round and controlled enough of the later action on the ground to win, though he also suffered an ACL injury that later required surgery.
Main card
- Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway, welterweight
- Benoit Saint Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett, lightweight
- Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista, bantamweight
- Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh, flyweight
- Bobby Green vs. Terrance McKinney, lightweight
In the co-main event, fifth-ranked lightweight Benoit Saint Denis faces ninth-ranked Paddy Pimblett in a contender bout, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. The main card also includes Cory Sandhagen against Mario Bautista, Brandon Royval against Lone’er Kavanagh, and Bobby Green against Terrance McKinney.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.